Myriad problems?

Has anyone else noticed that Myriad is changing a lot lately and not for the better? Prices go up, sizes go down (sometimes comically - have you ordered a filtered coffee recently and gotten the micro mug, only 2/3 full?) and quality slides (the Chai Latte, for example, is not what it was).

Normally, I would just move on to a different cafe and not worry too much about it but I do adore this place so. Anyone know what's up?

I didn't look the other day when I was there, the rising prices thing was mostly directed to the eva solo and the french press, both which are creeping up. For some reason, the syphon has seemed to come down though? I would not mind paying a bit more for the same volume of coffee that they used to serve for the filter (coffee commodity prices are on the rise, I believe) but it's almost absurd the amount that you are being given. Strangely enough, the take away size has remained constant. My friend, another regular, knew this and so I was able to compare direclty, not that you exactly needed to be a chemist to notice the blatant and glaring disparity.

There are other little things though, ie. there seems to be less care put in with the espresso based drinks, as well.

In general, I want Myriad to stay the way that it has been. I know that businesses change and sometimes go downhill, but good coffee is something that I am passionate for and the thought of my favorite cafe tanking is too much.

Are you saying filtered coffees are now served in smaller mugs but the take away cups are the same size? That is quite odd. I read on Twitter that they recently lost some of their best baristas and are currently bringing up a new crop. I suppose this is also their downtime and I'd imagine most of the kinks to be worked out before it gets busy again. Anthony is surely not someone to jump the shark. I doubt it is tanking but I haven't been all summer.

The filter is $2.35 and yeah, the sizes are wildly different from the take out and the mug; maybe by a factor of two to three. Regulars I know now routinely get the take away even if they plan on sitting on the terrace or inside because of this.

I totally agree with your comment about Anthony. I refuse to believe that someone so skilled and passionate about what they do would 'jump the shark'. This is perhaps why it bothers me more than if some already rubbish second cup started to slip.

Not sure how he would take being called out by a regular for what potentially amounts to business troubles. He's a real nice guy and all but people tend to be defensive about that sort of stuff. Besides, I tend to voice criticism by taking business elsewhere instead of complaining anyway. This is why I am posting here instead: To see if this is in my head or if other people are noticing the quality slipping.

i seriously doubt it is a cost saving measure - the overhead on a few extra ounces of filter coffee probably don't amount to much when compared with their revenue. sept-june the place takes it in like a slot machine

I wonder why then. Seriously, go an order a coffee there sometime soon. It's comical. I did notice also that the price of their 49th parallel beans went up quite a bit (technically, the price stayed the same but the size was chopped by a huge margin). Maybe this reflects that.

Forgot about this point - the 49th packaging changed but the quantities are exactly the same, except inexplicably the decaf espresso is 12oz instead of 16oz. We sell most of the coffees for less than the roaster does themselves, and I don't anticipate having to change that anytime soon. I understand the confusion though, we can fit a lot more bags on our shelves with the new shape.

Good to know. Glad that the RR beans are available again too. Thanks for responding although it makes me feel kinda awkward. Not sure what the CH rules are regarding talking direclty about this sort of thing in a thread like this with the proprietor but any other comments on those other things would welcome, of course. Normally, I would not care about this stuff, but this cafe is something special for me.

Saint Henri Micro Torrefactor is hard to beat ... and at least the staff remember you from one visit to the next. I stopped going to Myriade due to my friends (who were regulars for over two years everyday at the same time, got sick of being treated like strangers by the staff and always asking them "for here or to go" etc. - the joke with my friends was 'Myriade - where no-one knows your name').

Stopped by Myriade for a double espresso: it was generously sized by any standard! Since I live in Nova Scotia, I only make it there only 6 or 7 times a year but Anthony remembers me every single time I visit :) -- going back to the Cafe Veritas days.

the service is terribly obnoxious at cafe olympico and yet they're consistently full as well. the patron/barista interaction is so brief that one can hardly expect personalized service. in fact, the only cafes that i've been to where the baristas are so attentive to people are ones that sacrifice product ie: hippy dive cafes in college towns.

I have no idea about Myriad, but I did hear recently that there is a serious global shortage of the high-end coffee beans - so prices for good coffee are going through the roof, and the overall quality of the mid-range and cheap stuff is going down, as it's being diluted by low-grade beans in order to keep the cost reasonable.